Pinoy fighters strike for three golds

NAY PYI TAW – The clouds parted and some sunshine finally beamed on the Philippine camp following three gold medals in boxing two days after the formal start of the 27th Southeast Asian Games yesterday.

Josie Gabuco came back to defend her title, Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga crushed an Indonesian he never fought before and Mario Fernandez made a dramatic exit from the SEA Games in three gold medals that raised the gold medal haul of the Philippines to six following three golds in wushu.

The boxing triumph was all the Filipinos needed to arrest an alarming skid, which saw them lose heavily in martial arts, on the bike roads of Myanmar and the swimming pool inside the Wunnum Theikdi National Sports Complex.

Iris Rañola lost her touch and Rubilen Amit her composure as they fell to an Indonesian in succession and settled for the silver (Amit) and bronze (Rañola) in 9-ball event in billiards.

But more golds are in the offing for the Philippines as Dennis Orcollo and Carlo Biado compete in the men’s 9-nall and 10-ball today and tomorrow and Amit and Rañola, better rested, return to compete in the 10-ball Dec.18-19.

The Philippines flattened Indonesia, 83-52, in basketball for its fifth straight win to retain the crown with the Filipino cagers formalizing their claim on their 16th SEAG championship against second-ranked Malaysia (3-1) today.

The Philippines currently leads the seven-nation standings with an unbeaten slate counting its wins over fourth-ranked Singapore (88-75), Cambodia (107-57), Myanmar (118-43) and joint second Thailand (100-68).

In women’s action, Perlas ng Pilipinas was running fourth at 1-1 behind Thailand (1-0) and Indonesia and Malaysia (2-1).

The Phl lady cagers could disturb the medal standings with a win over Indonesia tomorrow and lowly Myanmar (0-3) at the close of the competitions.

Jasmine Alkhaldi was competing in the 100m butterfly where she posted the fifth best time of 1:03.40 in the heats. Fellow Olympian Jessie Lacuna was also to vie in the 100m butterfly with a second best time of 56.09 seconds, next to Singapore swimming wonder Joseph Schooling (55.03). He is a cinch to win the silver with a .34 second lead over Thai Panuratana Supakrid.

Win Zaw Htun of Myanmar won the traditional individual rapid chess, with Sjwan Pairov of Thailand getting the silver and fellow Thai Timsri Worathep the bronze. The Philippines did not have an entry in the event.